MTHFR...Nope, Not the Cuss Word
You’ve probably heard about MTHFR by now… it’s currently one of the trendiest genes, having made its way onto the health + wellness stage. And if you haven’t, that’s okay, too -- friendly FYI, its actually not an acronym for a naughty word (although when you don’t feel well, it’s sure cause for wanting to drop a cuss word or two. Yikes!).
MTHFR stands for…get ready, it’s a mouth full!... methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase. And the reason why this gene is so important is because of its dealings with METHYLATION—the trading of carbon + hydrogen by every cell in the body, everybody’s body, literally a gazillion times every single day. It affects all of our proteins, enzymes and hormones. Which further affects the way our body uses or depletes nutrients, the way we process toxins, the way we can or cannot grow a baby, our mental health, organ function and so much more! Don’t get us wrong however…MTHFR is certainly not the only gene that deserves attention, it’s simply the tip of the iceberg. The world of genetics is a complicated one in that literally every person has their own, one-of-a-kind combination, a unique set of genes—bestowed upon us at birth, half of our genes coming from our Mom, half from our Dad. There’s no changing this factor but there are LOTS of ways to help your genes function better!
By completing genetic testing for starters, your enlisting a great strategy to really get to know your unique health, what makes it tick and the details of what your body needs in order to be the most optimal, vital human being possible. And who doesn’t want that?!
Considering that we all have genetic variations, aka SNP’s (referred to simply as a genetic snips by most providers), we ALL need health optimization support! When it comes to MTHFR specifically, scientists believe that upwards of 50% + of the population have at least one MTHFR genetic mutation. If this includes you, you’ll need to take extra steps to safe guard your health. Such daily health promoting activities include:
limiting folic acid, found in many processed food items (especially cereals)
taking a multi-vitamin with folate, not folic acid (especially important during pregnancy!)
drinking filtered water, and plenty of it, daily
eating plenty of colorful, organic, fresh fruits + vegetables daily
minimizing toxic exposures via food, alcohol, medications, environment
avoiding plastics
considering elimination of inflammatory foods such as gluten + dairy + soy
exercising the majority of days of the week
And each of these steps happens to be great regardless of your genetic make-up! So why not give it a try?! And if you’d like to learn more… Dr. Ben Lynch, a Naturopathic Physician, has led the way for genetic research and continues to do so, brilliantly. His website mthfr.net and book “Dirty Genes” are great resources. Be sure to check them out and we’ll continue posting about genetics moving forward, because it’s where the future of healthcare is going… mark our words!